JOHNSBURG -- Playing three games in two days is very difficult at any level of soccer, but it is also useful for toughening, conditioning and sharpening teams. Such was the purpose and format of the Johnsburg Tournament this weekend.

Beautiful Hiller Park was the setting for the championship match of the four-team round-robin event Saturday afternoon. Hampshire and Crystal Lake South successfully navigated their Saturday morning matches to ensure 2-0-0 tournament records. The Gators dispatched tournament hosts Johnsburg 6-1 while the Whip-Purs took care of Jefferson 2-0.

With 140-minutes of soccer already under their belts in the 70-minute game format, the two teams courageously laced up their boots one more time in a preview of their Oct. 3 matchup in the Fox Valley Conference.

Hampshire was consistently more aggressive from the start and turned their constant energy into opportunistic goals to claim the Johnsburg title with a 2-0 victory.

“It’s exuberant,” said Hampshire first-year head coach Rick Shuster. “It’s our first year together, and we’ve been working hard. We really put forth the effort. We were tired obviously, but we found enough heart to pull out the final victory.”

Crystal Lake South (5-1-0) saw its perfect start to the season end. The Gators had their better chances early in the match but couldn't convert.

Jack Wruck’s long free kick found 2016 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List player Nik Getzinger’s head but the ball went straight to Hampshire goalie Andrew Krajecki. Shortly after, forward Alex Canfield blasted a drive from the top of the 18 over the crossbar after good dribbling from midfielder Oscar Campos.

However, the opportunities slowed down for the Gators and Hampshire (5-1-1) dug in with some good midfield work by co-captain Jack Fairwood. He showed his skill by dribbling through the Gators defense but was stopped before a shot was put on frame.

Shortly after that, defender Thomas Walker found the ball at the top of the eighteen and spotted midfielder Ryan Heileman who tapped in his pass inside the six-yard box past Crystal Lake South keeper Brandon Gorka’s left to give Hampshire the lead in the 20th minute.

“T.J. (Walker) our right back played a great ball in,” Heileman said. “I was at the right place at the right time, and I was able to finish it. Our leadership from our captains and our team energy has been really terrific this season.”

Fellow midfielder Sawyer Shores put in a lot of hard-working minutes and forced a save by Gorka in the first half, but was rewarded in the 68th minute with a tourney-sealing insurance goal. Shores was in the left section of the 18 when Michael Curatti sent in a cross that Shores settled and drove past Gorka. Shores, the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, showed the emotion of the work and let out a yell as the Whip-Purs bench began to celebrate.

“It’s nice to feel that, scoring the insurance goal,” he added. “We played great as a team. I am so thankful for them, and I also want to thank Michael (Curatti) for the beautiful ball.”

For Crystal Lake South, the result of the weekend was another great tournament run in which they finished as the runnerup, mirroring their second place finish in a bracket of the PepsiCo Showdown in 2016. The Gators showcased a solid defensive effort behind senior Ryan Yazel. Yazel, one of the captains in the match, made two second half blocks, including an impressive sliding effort inside the 18 to stop an effort from Hampshire’s Jesus Riveria.

“They just worked harder than us,” Yazel said. “They got the goal, and we kind of put our heads down and didn’t respond well in the second half. We kind of underestimated their potential. We just need to respond better.”

The ending was not what Crystal Lake South head coach Brian Allen had in mind but the team did meet some objectives.

“We were able to play in different environments against different teams and different styles,” Allen added. “Everything before conference play is considered pre-season, whether we are 0-6, 3-3, or other, it doesn’t mean too much to us if you do not learn and grow. These games are preparing us for the (Fox Valley Conference) opener against McHenry on Thursday and then the PepsiCo tournament, that’s what these game are for.”

Coach Allen further reflected on the highlights for the Gators over the trio of games.

“I think everyone at different times stood out,” he said. “Whether it was the bench that was very energetic when they came on and were very engaged in the games. The times when we controlled the midfield, (Nick) Langdon did a great job holding and forcing people out wide. Jack Wruck did a great job inside working.

“The defensive backline (Ricky Cristante, Yazel, Andrew Edge, Marcin Sliwinski) logged a lot of minutes. They are a very cohesive unit, relatively young unit with experience. They grinded through it, and this is the first time this year that they have given up multiple goals. Hopefully they can respond from that and help them out in different ways.”

In the other final round matchup Saturday afternoon, host Johnsburg defeated Jefferson 3-2. The Skyhawks finished the tournament at 1-2-0, while Jefferson ended up winless in the three games.